Fire-extinguisher.



J. D. FARR.

FIRE BXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1911.

1,026,856. Patented May 21,1912.

Witnesse 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN D. FARR, OF MIDDLETON, GEORGIA.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, JONATHAN D. F ARR,.a

citizen of the United States, residing at Middleton, in the county of Elbert and State of Georgia, have invented anew and useful Fire-Extinguisher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a novel apparatus that shall be automatic-in operation in the event of a fire; in which the distribution of the extinguishin fil id shall be accomplished in the most efiective and certain manner; in which the discharge shall be utilized to rotate the container, thus to distribute the fluid over a large area, the 'zontainer, through suitable mechanism, bemg caused, during rotation, to sound a continuous alarm so long as the apparatus is in operation, and in which all danger of failure of the apparatus to work in case of fire will positively be precludedith the above and other objects in View, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts .of a fire extinguisher, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, displaying the apparatus when not in action. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the apparatus when in action. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of tie weight arm and its holding line.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate two hangers, which are supported from a suitable over-head support, such as a ceiling C.

J ournaled in the lower ends of the hangers are theterminals 3 of a drop-shaft, secured to the center of the arch 4 of which, in any suitable manner, is a block 5 having formed therein a seat 6 to be engaged by a pivot or stud 7 carried by a trunnion 7 arranged at the center of a bowed strap 8 that is secured in any manner to a cylindrical receptacle 9 which constitut s the container for the extingulshmg fluld, which in this instance consists of sodium lei-carbonate Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed July 24, 1911. Serial No. 640,282.

Patented Ma 21, 1912.

designated S, and sulfuric acid contained in a flaskF housed in an open-work holder or cage that depends from a head 11 that is screw-threaded into the upper end of the receptacle. This flask has a stopper of lead, glass or the like which will not adhere to the flask butwill drop freely therefrom when the flask is inverted. The receptacle may be made of any material, preferably one that is non-frangible such as enameled sheet iron, or any material that is suitable for the purpose. To the head 11, or to the receptacle, is secured a second bowed strap 12 carrying at its center a pivot or stud 13 that is designed to engage a socket or bearing in a block 14 secured to the upper horizontal member 15 of a frame, the side arms 16 of which are secured in any p eferred manner to the arched shaft 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The object for employing the sockets or bearin s for the studs 6 and 13 is to reduce the friction between these parts to a minimum, as it is designed that when the receptacle is inverted, as shown in Fig. 2, escape of the carbonic acid gas generated by the action of the sulfuric acid on the sodium bi-carbonate will set up a back pressure which will cause the receptacle rapidly to revolve, the escape taking place through discharge nozzles 16,'arranged near the lower end of the receptacle when inverted and discharging respectively in an upward and outward, and downward and outward direction relative thereto, so that the misty fluid will be caused to distribute over a relatively large area and thus secure the best results. In addition, the swinging motion imparted to the receptacle when it drops from its non-active position shown in Fig. 1 to its active position in Fig. 2, will cause a further agitation of the chemicals, and thus accentuate the production of the gas as will be obvious. Itis essential, in apparatus of this character, that positively operating means be provided, whereby in the event of fire, that the extinguisher shall become operative when the heat reaches, say, 150 Fahrenheit, and to secure this result, there is a shaft 17 provided, which is mounted in bearings formed adjacent to the upper ends of the hangers, those portions of the shaft that engage with the hangers being formed with knife-edge bearings, as shown in Fig. 3, thus to reduce frictlon to a minimum, and to obviate any danger of the shaft becoming rust-locked. The intermediate portion of the shaft carries a recessed lug or dog 18, into the recess of which fits a toe or catch 19 carried by the center portion of the horizontal member 15 of the frame, the co-action between the parts being of loose character to preventany possibility of binding. One end of the shaft 17 is provicled with an arm 20 carrying adjacent to end of the shaft 4 in the position shown in Fig. 1 consists of fuse lines 22 made up of chains or wire connected by fusible links 22, said lines being connected to the arm 20, so that in the event that any one of the fusible links should melt, the weight will be released and thus trip the receptacle.

In order to cause the rotation of the receptacle, by the escape of the gas, to sound an audible alarm, there are two gongs 23 provided, which are carried by a plate 24 secured to the angle band 25 of the shaft 4. These gongs are alternately engaged by..a hammer .26 that is carried by one end of an arm 27 the other end of which carries a' finger 28. The arm 27 is pivotally connected with the upper end of a standard 29 secured to the shaft 4, and is free to vibrate easily thereon, the finger 28 being arranged in the path of movement/ of a cam 30, carried by the trunnion 7' that is designed to engage with the finger 28 as the receptacle rotates, and thus vibratethe arm 27 and effect the sounding of one of the gongs, the hammer being brought into engagement with the other gong by a spring 31 carried by the shaft4 and extending through the arm.

. From the foregoing descriptionit will be seen that provision is made to insure the certainoinversion of the receptacle containing the gas-forming chemicals in the event of fire, in a manner that will be certain of operation, and further, that by the manner of supporting the receptacle, its rotation will be assured, so that the spraying or discharge of the misty gas will be most efie'ctive in results.

It is to be understood that the means herein shown for sounding the gongs is merely present an unsightly appearance.

I claim: I

1. A fire extinguisher including a tank mounted .for swinging movement about an axisextending transversely through one end portion thereof and for rotation about its longitudinal axis, and means for discharging the contents of the tank in jets to rotate the tank when swung to inverted position.

2. A fire extinguisher including a frame,

a tank mounted for rotation in the frame about the longitudinal axis of the tank, said frame being arranged to swing about an axis extending transversely through one end ortion of the tank, suitablemeans for holding the tank normally in one position, said tank and frame being adapted to swing to inverted positions when released, and nozzles for directing jets upwardly and down- Wardly along lines receding from the tank when the tank is inverted, to rotate the tank.

3. A fire extinguisher comprising a hanger, a trip rod journaled therein and provided intermediate of its ends with a dog and at one terminal with a weight, an oscillatihg shaft journaled in the lower ends of the hanger, a cylinder supported for rotary1r'novements by the frame and by the shaft and containing fire extinguishing chemicals, means carried by the frame to engage the dog to maintain the cylinder in upright position, and a discharge nozzle carried by the cylinder and operating to cause vrotation of the cylinder and thus the discharge of the contained chemicals over a large area when the cylinder is inverted.

4. A fireextinguisher including a tank mounted for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely through one end portion thereof and for rotation about its longitudinal axis, and nozzles for directing the contents of the tank in jets upwardly and downwardly along lines receding from the tank when the tank is inverted, to rotate the tank about its longitudinal axis. V

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own,.I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JONATHAN D. FARR.

. Witnesses J. E. FABER, R. E. FIRMAN. 

